Asymmetrical link configuration for increased total network capacity

Abstract

A method for managing transmission settings in a wireless point-to-point link, including making a first estimate of a current required traffic capacity for transmitting in a first direction, from a first point in the wireless point-to-point link to a second point, and selecting a first technique for transmitting in the first direction, based, at least in part, on the first estimate of the current required traffic capacity, in which the first technique selected provides a traffic capacity which is less than a maximum capacity possible in the first direction. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for managing transmission settings in a wireless point-to-point link, comprising:
 making a first estimate of a current required traffic capacity for transmitting in a first direction, from a first communication node in the wireless point-to-point link to a second communication node in the wireless point-to-point link; 
 making a first estimate of a current maximal capacity for transmitting in the first direction; and 
 selecting a first technique for transmitting in the first direction, based, at least in part, on the first estimate of the current required traffic capacity, 
 in which the first technique selected provides a traffic capacity for transmitting in the first direction which is more than the first estimate of the current required traffic capacity and less than a maximum capacity possible in the first direction. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  in which selecting a first technique for transmitting in the first direction comprises selecting a modulation for transmitting. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  in which selecting a first technique for transmitting in the first direction comprises selecting an error coding for transmitting. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  in which selecting a first technique for transmitting in the first direction comprises selecting a power level for transmitting. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4  in which said selecting comprises selecting a first technique for transmitting in the first direction such that said first technique uses minimal acceptable transmission power while providing a traffic capacity which is more than said first estimate of the current required traffic capacity. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  in which selecting a first technique for transmitting in the first direction comprises selecting a frequency for transmitting which provides an acceptable level of interference with the same frequency being used on another wireless link based, at least in part, on having selected the first technique which provides a traffic capacity which is less than a maximum capacity possible in the first direction. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 making an additional estimate of the current required traffic capacity for transmitting in the first direction; and 
 making an additional selection of a technique for transmitting in the first direction, such that the technique for transmitting in the first direction provide more traffic capacity than the additional estimate of the current required traffic capacity. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7  in which additional estimates and additional selections are repeated every period of time. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8  in which the additional estimates and additional selections are repeated based, at least in part, on a time of day. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8  in which the additional estimates and additional selections are repeated based, at least in part, on a day of week. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8  in which the additional estimates and additional selections are repeated based, at least in part, on a season of year. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 making an additional estimate of the current maximal capacity for transmitting in the first direction; and 
 making an additional selection of a technique for transmitting in the first direction to provide a traffic capacity which is more than the additional estimate of the current required traffic capacity and less than the additional estimate of the current maximal capacity for transmitting in the first direction. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1  in which the technique for transmitting in the first direction comprises an Adaptive Coding and Modulation (ACM) technique. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1  in which the wireless point-to-point link comprises a single-carrier/continuous transmission wireless point-to-point link. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1  wherein the first technique selected is different from a technique selected for transmitting in a second, opposite direction, from the second node of the wireless point-to-point link to the first node of the wireless point-to-point link. 
     
     
       16. A communication node for communicating via a wireless point-to-point link comprising:
 a capacity control unit configured to estimate required capacity for transmission over the wireless point-to-point link in a first direction, from the communication node to a second communication node, making a first estimate of a current maximal capacity for transmitting in the first direction, and providing an output indicating the required capacity and the maximal capacity estimate; 
 a transmission selection unit configured to select a transmission technique for carrying the required capacity based, at least in part, on receiving the output of the required capacity estimate, and provide instructions for indicating what transmission technique is to be used for transmission in the first direction; 
 a transmitter configured for receiving data for transmission and the instructions for indicating what transmission technique is to be used for transmission, and for transmitting the data over the wireless point-to-point link in the first direction using the transmission technique, 
 wherein the transmission selection unit is configured to select a transmission technique for carrying the required capacity which is more than the first estimate of the required traffic capacity and less than the maximal capacity estimate. 
 
     
     
       17. The communication node of  claim 16 , in which the transmission selection unit is further configured for:
 receiving an indication about signal quality received from the second communication node which received the transmission of the communication node; and 
 selecting a transmission technique based, at least in part, on providing a traffic capacity which is more than the required capacity estimate and less than the maximum capacity possible. 
 
     
     
       18. The communication node of  claim 16 , wherein the transmission selection unit is configured for selecting a transmission technique for carrying the required capacity in the first direction regardless of a transmission technique used by the communication node to receive in a second, opposite direction, from the second communication node of the wireless point-to-point link to the communication node of the wireless point-to-point link.